Apple Targets Phone Theft with New Anti-Theft Measures

Apple has agreed to introduce measures designed to make stolen iPhones effectively unusable, in a significant move aimed at combating the growing problem of mobile phone theft.

The initiative forms part of a new agreement with London's Metropolitan Police and is intended to reduce the profitability of phone-snatching crimes by preventing stolen devices from being reactivated and resold.

Under the arrangement, Apple, alongside Samsung and Google, will cooperate with law enforcement by sharing device identifiers, including International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The system will allow authorities and manufacturers to identify stolen phones, block their reactivation, and detect when devices re-enter circulation.

Officials believe the measure could significantly disrupt organized criminal networks that rely on the theft and resale of smartphones, a black-market trade estimated to generate millions of pounds each year.

By rendering stolen devices largely worthless, authorities hope the new safeguards will reduce incentives for theft and strengthen efforts to tackle phone-related crime across the UK.